Leadership team cohesiveness and team performance

Purpose - To examine leadership style (transactional versus transformational), knowledge level, and team cohesiveness as antecedents of team performance. Design/methodology/approach - The study was conducted among students studying for an MBA. The 252 participant students were involved in a computerized business simulation course which required forming teams of about six members. Each team represented the management of one firm that competed with the other groups. Findings - Transformational leadership was associated with a higher level of team cohesiveness, as compared to transactional leadership. Both knowledge level and team cohesiveness predict team performance, particularly among men. Research limitations/implications - The student sample may not necessarily represent responses from workers in an actual organization. From a measurement perspective, the reliability of the one item scale of leadership could not be ascertained. Practical implications - For improving team performance, a manager should enhance team knowledge and encourage greater team cohesiveness. Originality/value - Using a simulated research design, leadership style, an antecedent associated with individual performance, was also found to be related to team performance.